Complete integrated development environment (IDE) for application developers

Qt Creator

Qt Creator

  -  357 MB  -  Open Source
  • Latest Version

    Qt Creator 16.0.0 LATEST

  • Review by

    Daniel Leblanc

  • Operating System

    Windows 7 64 / Windows 8 64 / Windows 10 64 / Windows 11

  • User Rating

    Click to vote
  • Author / Product

    The Qt Company / External Link

  • Filename

    qt-creator-opensource-windows-x86_64-16.0.0.exe

For developers working with C++ and Qt, having a robust and feature-rich integrated development environment (IDE) is essential.

Qt Creator is a powerful and versatile IDE for Windows specifically designed for building Qt applications.

It is widely used for desktop, embedded, and mobile application development, offering an intuitive interface and a strong set of features.

Qt Creator is an open-source IDE designed to streamline Qt application development across multiple platforms, including Windows, macOS, and Linux.

It provides code editing, debugging, version control, and UI design tools, making it a comprehensive solution for Qt-based software development.

With its CMake, QMake, and Meson support, it caters to developers working on both simple and complex projects.

Main Features

Cross-Platform Support – Develop and deploy applications on Windows, Linux, macOS, and embedded systems.

Advanced Code Editor – Syntax highlighting, auto-completion, refactoring tools, and smart indentation for C++, QML, JavaScript, and Python.

Integrated Debugger – Supports GDB, LLDB, and Microsoft Debugger for seamless debugging of C++ applications.

Graphical UI Designer – Drag-and-drop UI design with Qt Quick Designer and Qt Widgets.

Built-in Version Control – Integration with Git, Subversion, and Perforce.

Project Management – Supports multiple build systems like CMake, QMake, and Meson.

Embedded Development – Debug and deploy applications for embedded platforms like Raspberry Pi and MCUs.

User Interface

Qt Creator features a clean and modern interface designed for efficiency. The IDE includes a split-pane view for working on multiple files simultaneously and provides customizable layouts.

It also features a powerful search and navigation system, making it easy to locate files, classes, and functions.

Installation and Setup
  • Download Qt Creator from the official Qt website.
  • Run the installer and select the required Qt components and dependencies.
  • Configure the build environment (choose CMake, QMake, or another build system).
  • Set up compilers and debuggers (MinGW, MSVC, Clang, etc.).
  • Start coding your Qt-based applications.
How to Use

Create a New Project – Use the project wizard to start a new Qt Widgets or Qt Quick application.

Write Code – Utilize the advanced editor with syntax highlighting and code completion.

Design UI – Use the drag-and-drop UI designer for easy interface building.

Compile & Build – Choose a build configuration and compile your project.

Debug & Test – Use the integrated debugger to troubleshoot issues.

Deploy – Package and deploy your application to the target platform.

FAQ

Is Qt Creator free?
Yes, this program is open-source, but the Qt framework has both free and commercial licensing options.

Can I use Qt Creator for Python development?
Yes, it supports Python with PyQt and PySide, but C++ is its primary language.

Does Qt Creator support CMake?
Yes, it fully supports CMake, making it compatible with modern C++ projects.

Can I use Qt Creator for non-Qt projects?
Yes, you can use Qt Creator as a general C++ IDE even for non-Qt applications.

Is Qt Creator good for beginners?
While Qt Creator is feature-rich, beginners may find it complex compared to simpler IDEs like Eclipse or Visual Studio Code.

Alternatives

Microsoft Visual Studio – A popular C++ IDE with powerful debugging tools.

Eclipse IDE – A versatile, extensible C++ IDE.

Pricing

Open-Source Version – Free for personal and non-commercial use.

Commercial License – Pricing varies depending on Qt Company’s licensing model for professional developers.

System Requirements
  • OS: Windows 10/11 (64-bit)
  • Processor: Intel or AMD (x86_64 architecture)
  • RAM: 4GB (8GB recommended)
  • Disk Space: 2GB minimum
  • Graphics: OpenGL 2.0 support required for Qt Quick applications
PROS
  • Excellent Qt integration for rapid development
  • Cross-platform support for Windows, Linux, and macOS
  • Powerful code editor with auto-completion and debugging tools
  • Great UI design tools for Qt Widgets and Qt Quick
  • Good support for embedded and mobile development
CONS
  • The free version lacks some commercial features
  • Limited third-party plugin ecosystem compared to Visual Studio
  • Can be resource-intensive for large projects
  • Commercial licensing can be expensive for professional use
Conclusion

Qt Creator is a powerful, cross-platform IDE that excels in Qt and C++ development. With an intuitive code editor, robust debugging tools, and excellent UI design capabilities, it is the preferred choice for developers working on Qt applications. While it may have a steeper learning curve for beginners, it provides all the necessary tools to build, test, and deploy high-quality software.

  • Qt Creator 16.0.0 Screenshots

    The images below have been resized. Click on them to view the screenshots in full size.

    Qt Creator 16.0.0 Screenshot 1
  • Qt Creator 16.0.0 Screenshot 2

What's new in this version:

Editing:
- Removed the confusing `Mixed` indentation setting
- Added auto-detection for the indentation setting `Preferences > Text Editor > Behavior`
- Added a button for indentation settings to the editor toolbar
- Fixed that `File > Close` / `Ctrl + W` closed pinned files
- Fixed the behavior of `Shift + Backspace` for multi-cursor editing

C++:
Changed:
- `Preferences > C++ > Quick Fixes > Getter Setter Generation Properties` to use JavaScript expressions for transformation of the contents
- Improved the dialog for `Create implementations for member functions`
- Fixed a formatting issue when applying method signature changes
- Fixed the generation of getters for local enum types

Built-in:
- Added support for init-statements in range-based `for` loops
- Added support for refactoring in the presence of concepts

QML:
qmlls:
- Added the value of the `QML_IMPORT_PATH` CMake variable to the imports passed to `qmlls`
- Changed `Go to Definition` to be a non-advanced feature
- Changed the outline to be an advanced feature
- Fixed that the language server was not restarted after changing the Qt version in the kit
- Fixed that toolbars where created over and over again

Language Server Protocol:
- Added support for `Diagnostic.CodeDescription`
- Added the option to enable or disable language servers per project

Copilot:
- Fixed issues with newer versions of the language server
- Fixed the colors of items
- Added `SDKs` settings category
- Added settings for the Windows App SDK
- Moved the Android and QNX SDK settings to the new category
- Added support for [LoongArch]
- Added an option for the run environment to the kit settings
- Merged various related kit settings to the same row in `Preferences > Kits > Kits` ([Documentation]

Made build configuration specific variables like `Device:HostAddress` and`Device:KeyFiles` available to deploy configurations:
- Improved the target setup page in Projects mode
- Made the `Configure` button always visible
- Made the initially selected kit visible without scrolling
- Fixed some inconsistencies between build device and run device settings
- Fixed that the application output doesn't show the last line when filtering is active
- Fixed that the project specific editor settings were not applied to the
- Markdown editor
- Fixed the title of `Build for Run Configuration <name>`
- Fixed a crash when an application outputs lots of lines
- Fixed the `Disable` button for the first item
- Fixed the `Edit` button for disabled items
- Improved performance of Qt ABI detection when module `.json` files are available
- Improved performance of collecting Qt version information
- Removed unnecessary warning when the Qt version in a kit does not have a QML utility

Qt Creator Plugin Wizard:
- Added support for building for Windows and Linux on ARM on GitHub
- Added a run configuration that runs the Qt Creator that the plugin was built with CMake
- Simplified the project tree hierarchy for empty subdirectories
- Added support for creating run configurations for custom CMake targets with the `qtc_runnable` `FOLDER` property
- Improved the performance when CMake reply files change on disk
- Fixed that manually created run configurations could be removed if `Create suitable run configurations automatically` was turned off
- Fixed issues with Objective-C/C++ files if `OBJCXX` is added to the list of languages in the project file
- Fixed that Ninja was not detected even when `CMAKE_MAKE_PROGRAM` was set
- to the `ninja` executable
- Fixed the import of multi-config CMake presets

Package Manager Auto Setup:
- Changed the default installation directory to `/tmp` to ensure that the directory is writable

Qmake:
- Fixed that `.pri` files that are included but unused were not marked as inactive in the project tree

Meson:
- Replaced explicit calls to `ninja` by their equivalent `meson` calls
- Improved the layout of the project tree

Debugging:
- Changed that clicking disabled breakpoints enables them instead of removing them
- Fixed the movement of pinned debugger tooltips with extra editor windows

C++:
Pretty printers:
- Added `QMultiHash`
- Fixed issues with debuggers that use an older Python version

CDB:
- Disabled heap debugging by default and added the option `Enable heap debugging`

Analyzer:

Clang:
- Fixed a crash when the tool is run in parallel

QML Profiler:
- Fixed issues with restarting the profiler on remote Linux devices
- Fixed that profiling could fail to start
- Fixed the sorting of statistics

Axivion:
- Added support for images in the issue details
- Moved Axivion preferences to `Preferences > Analyzer > Axivion`
- Fixed that the display of data in the issues table did not adapt to the column's data type
- Fixed that filters were shown even for issue types that do not suppor them
- Fixed that the Filter menus opened at the wrong position

Coco:
- Added support for configuring CMake and qmake projects for code coverage
- in `Projects > Project Settings > Coco Code Coverage`

Terminal:
- Fixed that the view didn't jump to the end on input
- Fixed the title of tabs
- Fixed killing the shell process
- Fixed auto-scrolling

Version Control Systems:
- Added automatic detection of files under version control even when the corresponding plugin is disabled
- Added a notification that suggests enabling a version control plugin when files under that version control are detected
- Disabled the `Bazaar`, `Fossil`, `Mercurial`, and `Subversion` support plugins by default

Git:
- Increased minimum Git version to 2.13.0
- Added `Create Branch From` to the context menu on commits in `Git Log` ([Documentation]
- Added the option to show the log of the branch in the `Git Commit` and `Amend` views by clicking the branch name
- Added the action `Status (Including All Untracked)`, and changed the standard `Status` action to exclude untracked files

Platforms:
Windows:
- Fixed that temporary files were created when saving files on the FAT file
- system and removed only at Qt Creator shutdown

Linux:
- Added support for the `terminator` terminal emulator

macOS:
- Fixed a crash when MinGW toolchains are detected on macOS hosts

Android:
- Fixed a performance problem when detecting the Android ABI
- Fixed that the wrong `lldb-server` could be used

iOS:
- Added support for application output and C++ debugging for devices with iOS 17 and later
- Fixed a crash when stopping applications on devices with iOS 16 and earlier
- Fixed QML profiling on devices with iOS 16 and earlier
- Fixed that the development teams could not be determined with Xcode 16.2 and later

Remote Linux:
- Added support for `GoCmdBridge` for performance improvements

Docker:
- Fixed an issue with running `pkg-config` in the container
- Fixed an issue with shutting down the device access
- Fixed soft asserts during container setup

QNX:
- Fixed issues with Clangd 19